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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24532768">Maja and Agata</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mishaberlioz/pseuds/mishaberlioz'>mishaberlioz</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Uprooted Oneshots [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Uprooted - Naomi Novik</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst and Romance, Drama &amp; Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Femslash, POV First Person, Romance, Short One Shot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:01:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,003</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24532768</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mishaberlioz/pseuds/mishaberlioz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>On the last night before the Choosing, Kasia asks Agnieszka to sing to her. The song she chooses brings up unexpected feelings.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Agnieszka &amp; Kasia (Uprooted), Agnieszka/Kasia (Uprooted)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Uprooted Oneshots [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1773034</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Maja and Agata</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>On the last day before the Сhoosing, I found us a clearing in the woods and built a fire. The leaves blazed flame-gold and rustled in the wind. We plucked apples from the trees and sat down by the fire to eat them. They were perfect, crisp and juicy and sweet with just a hint of tartness. They tasted like our childhood. </p><p>When we had finished, I licked the juice from my fingers and began to braid Kasia’s hair. She could have done it more neatly in half the time, but she always said she liked it best when I did it. </p><p>We sat there on a couple of old blankets that I’d brought out with us. Kasia’s hair was spilled over her shoulder in a shimmering curtain. I took my time with her braids, trying to memorize the feel of them. Kasia closed her eyes and leaned into my touch like a cat being petted. </p><p>“It would be nice to be a troubadour,” she said. “To go all over Polnya and sing for the king.”</p><p>The thought of her leaving the Valley made me want to cry, but I’d promised myself that I’d be strong that night. </p><p>“The king, hmm?” I gently tugged at one of her braids, keeping my tone light. “That’s quite the audience. What song would you sing for him?” I already knew what the answer would be, but I asked anyway.</p><p>“Maja and Agata.” Kasia hesitated a moment and then glanced at me, almost shyly. “Would you sing it to me?”</p><p>I sighed. “You know I can’t sing.”</p><p>She didn’t say anything, just waited, her eyes fixed on my face. </p><p>“Oh, all right,” I said. “But don’t blame me if they come out here with pitchforks.”</p><p>I closed my eyes, remembering the words. Then I cleared my throat and began to sing. </p><p>The song was an old one, and there were a number of variations making the rounds of the villages. I sang the version we’d learned as children, bright and clear and simple enough that even I could muddle through it. </p><p>The song told the tale of Maja and Agata, two young women from some long-forgotten village. One day, while they were picking mushrooms in the forest, Maja was caught by a Walker. It snatched her up and dragged her screaming into the Wood. The entire village gave her up for lost, but Agata refused to accept that her friend was gone. In the dead of night, she crept out of her parents’ house, went into the Wood, and brought her out again.</p><p>No one ever found out how she did it. Their village refused to take them in, believing that they’d been corrupted. The headman ordered them burned alive, so they fled and no one ever saw them again. At least, that was the way the bards sang it. </p><p>But I sang a different ending, one Kasia and I had made up together. One where they became traders travelling to distant lands, and they were alive and free and together and nothing could ever come between them...</p><p>My voice faltered and died. I was unable to force a single word past the painful lump in my throat. Kasia made a small sound and in the firelight, I could see tears shining on her face.</p><p>“This is silly…” She tried to wipe away the tears, but they kept coming. “I’m sorry - I was s-supposed to be brave…” It was the first time I had ever seen her cry. </p><p>My own eyes began to sting, but I blinked away the tears. Kasia had spent the whole summer comforting me. Surely, on our last night, I could do the same for her?</p><p>I couldn’t say a word so I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close. “It’s all right,” I whispered. “You don’t have to be brave tonight.” </p><p>Kasia buried her face in my neck. I ran my hands through her hair and kissed her forehead. Her skin was soft and warm and she smelled like apples and woodsmoke and without even thinking about it, I leaned closer and kissed her on the mouth.</p><p>She went completely still. And then she grabbed my face and kissed me back. Her hands were like fire on my skin, and I felt her trembling with a lifetime’s worth of fear and anger. We kissed as if we could make up for all the years we would never have. Her fingers snagged in my hair and moved lower to fumble with the fastenings of my dress and I shivered at her touch -</p><p>She drew back sharply and the cold air rushed in between us. </p><p>“I-I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I...I shouldn’t have…”</p><p>Her cheeks were flushed, and for once her hair was in disarray, tumbling into her face. I tucked a strand behind her ear and looked into her eyes. “What’s the matter?”</p><p>She pulled away. “I didn’t - I didn’t think you would want this.”</p><p>“But I do,” I breathed. “I want this.” </p><p>She looked at me for a moment and then slowly began to unlace my dress, her nimble fingers suddenly clumsy. I sat very still with my heart hammering in my chest, when something occurred to me.</p><p>“Kasia,” I said timidly, “What are we doing? I mean...do you know how to…?”</p><p>“Not really.” Kasia blushed and laughed through her tears. “But we’ll figure it out. We always do.”</p><p>And we did. </p><p> </p><p>Afterwards, we lay bundled up in the blankets. The fire was dying out and the last few rays of light were fading from the sky. Her back was warm against me, and my face was buried in her hair. I could tell from her breathing that she was not quite awake, but not fully asleep either. </p><p>I knew that when the Dragon took her, it would hurt more than I could imagine. But at that moment I could hold her in my arms and feel her heart beating, and I could almost believe that it was enough.</p>
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